Bond bill includes $7.5 million for Milton park and canoe launch

Thursday

Jul 10, 2014 at 7:52 PMJul 10, 2014 at 7:58 PM

BOSTON – The Senate has passed a four-year, $1.7 billion Environmental Bond Bill that includes $7.5 million for the creation of a new Neponset River park and canoe launch near Truman Parkway in Milton and $10 million for design, signalization, safety improvements, sidewalks and aesthetic improvements on Brush Hill Road and Truman Parkway.

Massachusetts is the first in the nation to offer Green Bonds, which have attracted bids from 154 retail investors, including orders from 7 new investors. The program, administered by the Treasury, goes toward clean drinking water projects, energy efficiency and conservation in state buildings, river revitalization and habitat restoration projects, and more.

Along with the new Neponset River park and Brush Hill Road improvements proposed by Senator Brian A. Joyce of Milton, the bill also contains a number of spending authorizations for Milton:

$2.5 million for improvements and repairs at the Trailside Museum.
$1.25 million for improvements to the Blue Hills Ski Area.
$2.5 million for the preservation and restoration of the Blue Hills Observatory.
At least $1 million for aesthetic, pedestrian and vehicular traffic improvements at the intersection of Neponset Valley Parkway and Brush Hill Road.
$1 million for landscape and aesthetic improvements along the Neponset River.
Money to create a park at John L. Kelly Field.
All spending authorizations must be included in the final version of the bill and approved and released by the governor.